How to Fall In Love With a Demon
by Inudoggie
Summary: When a 3/4 demon named Kirin meets the demon Sesshomaru she thinks he is a flat out jerk! But as her feelings for him grow, can she expect him to return them? Also, what will happen when she befriends his brother...?
1. The Meeting

Chapter 1

A breeze rustled through the trees and Kirin lifted one lazy eye to scope the ground below her. She loved resting in trees. A strange smell came to her nose and she opened the other golden eye as well. "It's human," she thought. "But there is also a demon," she said aloud to herself. "A strong demon, one who might posses a jewel shard." She stretched her arms and legs, then placed her hand on her left hip to ensure that her prized weapon, her whip, was there. She then leaned forward to see what was below. A young girl, by the looks of seven or eight, ran through the clearing being chased by a hog demon. Kirin leaped down from the tree right onto the demons head. "Take this!" she yelled as she cracked her now glowing blue whip onto the demon. He screamed as he was spit in two, then he fell to the ground, dead. "No jewel," Kirin said, then turned to stride off when she felt a tug on her kimono."Thank you for saving me," a small voice said. Kirin turned to see a little orange and yellow kimono wearing, dark haired girl bowing respectably before her. "She thinks I saved her," Kirin laughed to herself. "Ha, your welcome little girl." she said. "Tell me, what is your name and why are you out here all alone. It is dangerous ya know." "I know," the girl said, "My name is Rin, and Master Jaken fell asleep. I was hungry so I went looking for some food." She shrugged sheepishly. "I guess that demon was hungry too." Kirin laughed at this and nodded her head. "Come, " she said, "I will get you some food, and then we will find this Master Jaken of yours." "Ok,' Rin said with a smile, then she ran along after Kirin. "Me, babysitting a kid. Oh your getting to soft Kirin," thought the 3/4 demon. But she kind of liked the thought. Not all demons have to run around ripping human heads off. Besides, the little bit of human in her made her feel some compassion for humans. She tried not to kill any. She led Rin to the clearing which she called her home, for now at least. She would soon wander again, in search of jewel shards. "So I can destroy him!" She thought angrily to herself. As Rin feasted on fried fish, Kirin looked up at the sunset colored sky. She wondered how long this kid would be with her. The next day she and Rin set out in search of Jaken, whoever that was. Then no sooner then they had started, they found him. He was a little toad looking imp, and he had a strange two headed dragon creature that Rin called Ah-Uhn with him. "She saved me Master Jaken, she really did." Kirin felt a sort of pride at this girls respect for her. No one had ever respected her before. "Oh, um. Thank you very much, " Jaken said, "Now hurry and go before my master comes back." "Master?" Kirin thought, "But I thought he was the master." Just then she heard a voice behind her. A deep, rich voice. "Jaken, who is this scum?"


	2. The Man With the Golden Eyes

Chapter 2

"Oh! Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken cried. Kirin turned to see the man standing behind her. He was tall, about a foot taller than she was, and he was wearing a white kimono with a red flower design on the shoulder. He also had chest armor and a...fluff thing. His broad chin had upon it a thin, frowning mouth, and he stared at her with cold, golden eyes. "Who is this, Jaken?" "Well...uh...I don't know," he stammered "Rin brought her here. "Rin," he questioned. "His voice is so deep and rich," Kirin thought. "Well, " Rin begun, "I was hungry so I went looking for some food. I was attacked and she saved m..." Sesshomaru cut her off. "Saved you, huh...Jaken, Rin, come." He turned abruptly and he left quickly and silently. Jaken and Ah-Uhn followed behind and Rin turned to Kirin. "Thank you again," She said with a small bow. Then she turned and ran after her "friends". "Bye." she waved. Kirin nodded her head and turned to go "home".

Kirins' mind raced as she walked to the place where she called home. "He didn't even thank me. Not for saving Rin. Why is she with him anyways? Could it be he liked humans?" She shook her head. That thought seemed highly unlikely. "But where was he going?" Kirin shook her head. "Why am I still thinking about that jerk! He was hardly kind to me," she yelled aloud to herself. She set her jaw and stomped off to her clearing. As she neared it she saw a small, shell comb that was sitting alone on the ground. "This must be Rins'," Kirin muttered to herself. "Maybe I should bring it back to her," she thought. "No, There is no reason for that. It is only a comb. Kirin knew that she could either keep the comb for her own auburn hair, or just throw it away into the woods. She remembered his cold eyes. "Lord Sesshomaru, huh? No. I will return it. And when I do, I will expect a thank you. I will not take no for an answer." Kirin started out walking in the direction that Sesshomaru had left in. As she whiffed the air for his scent, she thought about those cold, golden eyes. "I am coming Sesshomaru. I am coming..."


	3. In Search of Him

Chapter 3

Kirin ran through the choppy forest in search of that man. "Where the heck could he be," she thought to herself. "Drat," she had lost his scent again. She slowed to a stop and waited for her strong nose pick up the scent again. "Grrrrrr..." she growled aloud to herself. "There it is," she said aloud then sped off again, deeper into the forest. "If only I could catch up. He can't be too far ahead of me, he wasn't even running," Kirin said aloud to herself. All of the sudden something crossed paths with her. She painfully crashed into it and fell to the ground with a loud !THUMP! "Owww, what the..." she started, rubbing her head from pain of the impact. She looked up to see a huge hog demon. "Not now..." she silently cried to herself. "Ugh, waddya want pig," she said, standing herself up. "Grrrr, uh, you kill me brother," it snorted. "Uh, I kill you!" It lunged at her and she quickly turned and slashed the demon down with her long claws. "Feh, easy," Kirin said aloud. All of the sudden she saw about a hundred shapes circle around her. "Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr..." she heard. "Oh crap," she said as she watched the hog demons look at their dead brother on the ground to Kirin.Sesshomaru turned abruptly that Jaken was run into by Rin and he and Rin both collided into Sesshomaru's stiff leg. He glared down. "Oh sorry master," Jaken said, "Rin you stupid girl..." "Jaken," Sesshomaru said, "Stay here with Rin." "Oh master please don't leave me!" But the imp's cries faded away from Sesshomaru's ears as he ran into the thicket. "I smell blood, " he thought, "Her blood."Kirin crashed into a massive tree and it snapped in half due to the force of the blow. 'Ohhhh..." she muttered. She slashed away crazily, "I'm not going to die like this," she thought. But the hogs just wouldn't stop coming. "Sheesh, who knew he had so many brothers," she thought. She ripped away a hog in front of her, but yet another one took it's place. "Drat," she thought. Then she pulled out her whip. A blue glow formed around it. "Dragon Slash," she screamed and with one whip forty hogs disintegrated. "Oh man," Kirin thought, bending over to breath harder, " That took a lot out of me!" Then some one, or something crushed her in the back of the head. She fell wearily to the ground. "No," she thought, "Not like this!" She sank into darkness and he leaped into the clearing. It was Sesshomaru!


	4. In a Field of Flowers…

Kirin awoke to find herself lying by a fire. The flames danced and crackled on the charred logs that fed it. She ached all over. Kirin propped herself up onto her elbows so that she could get a good look around. She felt something slid off her body. Suddenly her arms gave way and she fell back down onto her back with a painful THUD. "Owwwwww", she moaned, and then grabbed a hold of the thing that fell from her chest. It was a kimono; white with a red flower design on the shoulder and sleeves..."Sesshomaru's! But that means..." Kirin thought alarmed. She sat up again, this time all the way, and she saw Rin sitting by a small pond. She turned in Kirins' direction and almost instantly a smile spread across her little face. "Oh, she's awake Lord Sesshomaru!" Kirin looked towards the direction that she was speaking and saw Sesshomaru with his back to her, sitting on some large tree roots over cropping the pond. Fireflies danced at his feet, she noticed. She also saw Jaken sitting alone and grumbling to himself. Sesshomaru turned and looked over his shoulder at Kirin. And only his shoulder, she noticed, for his right arm was missing. She brought her gaze up his muscular body to his eyes, which she found were staring right into hers. She shuddered. Those eyes made her blood run cold. "Glad to see you're finally awake," he said, hardly looking glad at all. Kirin spat and then yelled to him, "So how the heck did I get here?!" Sesshomaru turned back toward the pond. "Why that no good, dirty rotten..." Kirin thought. "Hey, I asked you..." At that moment Kirin felt a bolt of pain shoot through her body. She collapsed on the ground and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

"Get that one! Hurry! Hurry!" "I'm going! I'm going!" "Oh no you let it catch you Master Jaken!" "Aiieeee! Get it off me!" "What the heck is going on," Kirin thought to herself. She sat up to find herself in a field of flowers. "How...", she thought. Rin looked over at her and cried happily, "Oh, you're awake!" "Yah yah, I'm awake," Kirin said, standing now. She saw Jaken running in circles with a yellow butterfly on his nose. "Oh, Rin help me," her cried, then collapsed on the ground, so dizzy that there were literally spirals swirling in his eyes. The butterfly lazily floated off, passing Kirin on the way. "It looks just like his eyes," She thought. "Hey, where's Sesshomaru," she asked Rin. "Oh, he's...," Rin started but Jaken jumped up and cut in. "None of your business. Who are you anyway! You just waltz in here with little Rin and then get yourself attacked and have to be saved by Lord Sesshomaru. I don't even know why he wasted his efforts saving you." "So he did save me," Kirin thought. She looked at Jaken and proudly stated, "I am Kirin the great dog demon, and I don't know why your lord saved me, thought I have no problem with it." She smiled sweetly and examined her claws, "You...don't have a problem with that...do you?" Jaken opened his mouth for a comeback, then changed his mind and sat down on the ground, mumbling angrily to himself. Rin tugged on Kirin's deep green kimono sleeve. "Come play with me," she pleaded, leading Kirin away from the irritated Jaken. "Sure, why not," Kirin thought, following the human girl, "Besides, it could be fun!" She laughed aloud to her own joke and hurried her steps to catch up with the fast steps of the little girl. Kirin taught Rin how to make wreaths and crowns by weaving flowers together in a certain way. Her own mother had taught her that, long ago...

/ Flashback /

(We see Kirin in a smaller version sitting next to a demon woman who looks alot like her. They are weaving crowns with flowers.)

"No, no. Do it like this. Yes, there you go, you did it!" "Yah," Kirin cried happily. She had been working really hard to make her crown perfect. She placed it on her head and it stayed for a couple of seconds before falling down below her chin. She angrily ripped it off and whipped it into the woods, then let out a sob and flew into her mothers waiting arms, crying. "There, there. You shouldn't give up. No need for tears. Here, let's try again." Kirin nodded and started once more on her little crown of flowers.

/ Flashback Ends /

"Kirin? Kirin?" "Huh?" Kirin brought her head back into the present and looked at the worried face of the young girl beside her. "Oh, yes. Sorry Rin, what were you saying?" "I was asking you if you think that Lord Sesshomaru would like these flowers." Kirin looked at the small bouquet nestled in the girls' small hand. She smiled, "Yes, I think he'll love those Rin."

It had been three long days in the field of flowers before Sesshomaru returned. Jaken spotted him first, walking slowly towards them. He jumped up and ran to him crying, "Lord Sesshomaru, you've returned!" Kirin and Rin looked up. They were cooking some fish they had caught earlier. "Lord Sesshomaru," Rin said happily, and hopped up, grabbing the flowers which she had replaced everyday so that they would not be withered. Kirin took a bite out of her fish and began chewing it. "How cute," she thought. "These are for you, Lord Sesshomaru," Rin said, handing the flowers to him. He looked down at her and the flowers, then turned and said, "We are leaving Rin." Rin hung her head and ran back to gather her few belongings. She dropped the unwanted flowers on the ground. Kirin's face flushed with anger. She had to do something. The picked up the flowers and walked right over to the dog demon. She tapped him on the shoulder and her turned to face her. "What is it," he asked. "The girl said these are for you, so I expect that you'll take them," she said, and then crushed the flowers into the demons face. He stepped back, startled, then looked at her with hatred. His eyes were blood red. "You insolent..." he yelled. He raised his claws and they began to take on a greenish glow. "You dare to insult me!" "Yah, bring it mutt," Kirin said, cracking her knuckles and reaching for her whip. "Bring it you no good piece of crap!"


	5. Clash of Fangs

A single breeze lifted the hair from Kirin's face. She saw that Sesshomaru's eyes flared with anger. Jaken cautiously lead Rin away to cover. He had a bad feeling about this. Kirin spat, and then the two dogs lunged at each other. Kirin swung her claws at Sesshomaru's chest, but missed and was almost nailed by Sesshomaru's claws. Kirin kicked off the ground and flipped over Sesshomaru's head. She hit the ground behind him and immediately changed direction in a mid lunge towards Sesshomaru's back. He looked over his shoulder, then hopped into the air. Kirin gasped as she realized that she was going right under him. She looked up and saw him coming down for her. She turned and pulled out her whip. She lashed it at Sesshomaru and it wrapped around his arm. She threw him aside. He quickly got up again and grabbed her wrist. He flipped her over him, then hurled her into the ground. She reached up with her other hand and plunged her claws into his shoulder. He winced and Kirin took the split second to hop back and regain herself. Sesshomaru did the same. A breeze swept by again, rustling the flowers around them. Sesshomaru pulled out one of his two swords, the Tokijin. Kirin had her whip at the ready. They lunged at each other again. Kirin lashed out her whip and it wrapped around the Tokijin. She smiled, then jerked the whip hard to her right. Sesshomaru didn't budge. Kirin's smile changed into a frown. Sesshomaru smirked, and he tugged the sword towards himself, carrying the whip and the surprised Kirin with it. Then he tilted the Tokijn towards Kirin, who was still flying towards him. Kirin's eyes opened wide and then she felt the sharp blade impale her stomach. "Ohhhh, " she moaned, and then fell to her knees with the Tokijin still in her. Sesshomaru quickly pulled it out and shoved Kirin over to the side. She yelped sharply when she hit the ground, and fresh blood poured out of the wound she had just received. Sesshomaru turned his back to Kirin and started walking away. With great effort, Kirin grabbed her whip, which was near her, and lashed it out at Sesshomaru. He turned sharply, but was caught by the whip. It wrapped around his entire body. Then blue sparks shot out of the whip and a strong energy surged through Sesshomaru's body. He clenched his jaw to keep from calling out with pain. Finally the whip fell away from him and Kirin lashed it out again. It struck his chest with a CRACK and ripped his kimono. It cut into his flesh and left a gash across the left of his chest. Right over his heart. He grabbed it and growled. That had hurt terribly! He fell to his knees.

From their hiding spot, Jaken and Rin gasped. They knew that this did not happen often. Rin was feeling very sorry for herself. She couldn't help but think that this fight was all her fault. She had given the flowers to Sesshomaru knowing that he probably wouldn't accept them, but she had no idea that his refusal of the gift would bother Kirin so much! At that moment Jaken leapt up behind Kirin and raised his staff of two heads. He was about to torch Kirin when Sesshomaru looked up and yelled, "Jaken, this is my fight!" Jaken nodded and backed away to his hiding spot with Rin. Rin wanted to call out to them and tell them to stop, but she was too scared. She didn't want Lord Sesshomaru to get hurt, but she also didn't want her new friend to get killed!

Sesshomaru stood up and took his hand off his wound. It was bad, but he could manage. He looked over at Kirin. Her sword wound was bleeding very badly, and her could see the blood gushing out from between her fingers which covered the wound. She was standing now, and Sesshomaru noticed that there was something very elegant about the way she looked. She moved gracefully and she wrapped her whip up with one hand and clicked it back into place on her yellow sash that held her dark green kimono closed. Hs shook his head and brought himself to come back into focus. "What's the matter," Kirin asked with a sneer, "Don't have the guts to finish me?" "Not at all," Sesshomaru replied, sharing the harsh smile, "I was just thinking of how to kill you best." Kirin smiled. "Well," she said, "Bring it. Let's finish this now!" Kirin felt sick from all the blood she had lost, but she couldn't let him win. She had to gain respect for Rin. She could feel herself slipping into unconsciousness. "No," she thought, "I mustn't fall into darkness. Not yet…" Kirin's eyesight blurred. Sesshomaru saw this and he leapt at her, then punched her in the jut and then on the jaw. Kirin was flung into the air by the force, and then she landed with a 'thud' a few feet away. She opened her eyes and looked up to see Sesshomaru above her. "So," she said, choking on blood, "Finish me already." Sesshomaru looked at her and then said, "There would be no purpose. I find no benefit in killing you." Kirin smiled a bit. "Is that so," she said, and then she fell unconscious.

Sesshomaru stared down at Kirin for a few more minutes, then turned swiftly and called out to Jaken, "Come." "Yes Master," Jaken replied eagerly. He turned to Rin and said, "Oh hurry up, will you." "Coming," Rin called to him. She walked up to Kirin and looked down at her bruised face. Her wound looked bad, but Rin had no time to dress it. Sesshomaru would leave her. She gingerly laid some flowers in Kirin's open palm, and ran to catch up with Sesshomaru and Jaken. She felt that this was all her fault and hoped that Kirin wouldn't die. Sesshomaru sat awake that night. He couldn't get Kirin's face out of his mind. It bothered him greatly. "Why does this woman haunt me so," he asked no one. Rin and Jaken slept next to Ah-Uhn. He settled down and closed his weary eyes. His wound on his chest bothered him some, but it would heal sooner or later. Sesshomaru then fell asleep, something he did not do often. And he dreamed a dream so peaceful and sweet. He dreamed of her.


	6. Hospitality

Kirin opened her eyes. She hurt all over. But where was she? This was not the field where she had been last. She was in a small hut, and a blanket covered her. Kirin glanced down and noticed that her wounds had been cleaned and bandaged. "Who….," Kirin wondered, "….and why?" It was then Kirin noticed that her fist was clenched shut. She opened it to find a few crushed, withered flowers. "Rin," she thought, "Where is she?" Kirin thought for a moment. "Oh, that's right. She left with him." Kirin closed her eyes again for a spell, then stood up and wandered to the door. She lifted the mat covering the entrance and found herself to be in a small village. Kirin was puzzled. How did she get here? And when? Kirin was about to take off towards the edge of town when she heard someone call out to her. "Oh, good, your awake," the voice said. Kirin turned around to find herself facing a young man, not too much older than herself in appearance. The man smiled, "Glad your finally awake." "Yah…," Kirin said, more confused than ever. "Well," the man said, "Come in." Kirin looked behind her again at the edge of town, then shrugged. What did she have to lose? She followed the man back into the hut. "Come," he said, "I'll explain everything."

Sesshomaru looked at the fish daintily swimming in the cool, trickling stream that he sat by. Rin had been hungry, again, and so he stopped and waited for her to catch and eat her fill of the plentiful fish. Right now she was cooking three of the fish she had caught over a small fire. Sesshomaru closed his eyes and leaned back against the tree that was behind him. Her face flashed in his mind. "Why must you bother me at every moment," he questioned no one. "It's been three days since I left you, and still I haven't gone one moment without you on my mind." He opened his eyes and found that Rin was sitting next to him looking closely at his face. "Are you ok, Lord Sesshomaru," the innocent child asked. "I don't know," he answered.

"…..Then I stumbled upon you, literally. I kinda tripped over you," the man said, scratching the back of his head. "You were badly injured, so I couldn't just leave you there. So then I carried you home. How did you get those wounds anyway?" Kirin's expression turned angry as she remembered exactly how she got the wounds. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," the man said, looking a little nervous. "Anyhow," he said, and Kirin snapped back into attention, "I had the village doctor nurse you back to health and then here you are three days later lookin much better if I do say so myself." Kirin smiled a bit at this last bit, and then she thought once again of the man who had injured her so badly.

/Flashback/

"So, aren't ya ganna finish me?"

"There would be no purpose. I find no benefit in killing you."

/Flashback over/

"What did he mean," Kirin thought, "Why wouldn't he kill me?" "Uh, miss? Are you ok?" Kirin snapped back to the present and looked over at the man who had saved her. He looked worried, and a little confused. Kirin shook her head. "I'm fine," she said, trying to reassure herself even more than the man, "And please, my name is Kirin." She smiled at the man, trying to be polite. She wasn't too good at that, but it was worth a shot. "Kirin," the man repeated, "That's a lovely name. Mine's Saji if you care to know." "Saji," Kirin let herself get accustom to the name. Kirin then stood. "Well Saji, thank you for helping be, it's been a hoot, but I really should be on my way." She turned and headed for the door. "Oh, please don't leave," Saji burst out. Kirin turned sharply and looked at him with curiosity. Saji blushed, embarrassed by his outburst. "What I meant was, you should at least stay and get a good rest, some supplies, some food in your stomach." Kirin thought about it for a minute. Saji smiled meekly at her. "You don't have to if you don't want to," he said quietly. "Ya know what, Saji," Kirin said, a grin appearing on her face, "I think I will take you up on your offer." She smiled at Saji and he returned the grin. "I'll start dinner," he said, hopping up. Kirin laughed to herself. There was nothing wrong with staying, and besides, she was beginning to like this Saji guy. Food sounded good, anyway. There was something about this place that made her feel at home. Maybe she wouldn't leave right away. In fact, maybe she would stay for a while, she had nowhere to go. Nothing to do. Saji called to Kirin, but before she went to him she decided to keep _him_ off her mind. For good. She wouldn't let him ruin her life forever!

Somewhere miles away, as the sun set, lighting up the sky with a brilliant colorful hue, Sesshomaru looked up at the just appearing stars and decided that he would push _her_ out of his mind. For good. He didn't need her messing up his mind forever!


	7. Letting Go

"_It's been three months. I've tried to forget, but I can't. I've put you behind, started a new life, left you out of it. Yet somehow, you've always come back into thought. I wish you would drop dead, be gone from my life, but then again, I don't. I wish to see you, but then again, want you far away. I wish to hear you, but then again, wish that you could never be heard. I want to reach out to you. But I can't. I won't. How am I suppose to go on living like this, wanting and hating you all at once. I'm waiting. Waiting for you to come back, but I know you won't. So, I'm through waiting. I have to forget. I must forget. I'm letting go. Letting go…" _

Kirin woke up feeling depressed and lonely. She couldn't remember what she had dreamed about that night, but she knew that it would change her. Kirin shook the cobwebs from her head and stood up. She quickly crammed a rice ball into her mouth and hurried on out into the street on her way to work. Kirin got a job working with Saji not long after she decided to stay in the village. It was Saji's job to cook for and serve the workers at the mansion that served as the lord of the towns home. Kirin helped Saji cook and serve, and sometimes even sang for the workers while they ate. And, if she was lucky, like she usually was, the men would tip her. Kirin had inherited her beautiful singing voice from her mother, and she sang the songs that her mother had taught her long ago. Kirin reached the gates of the mansion and she showed the guards the mark on her wrist that indicated that she worked there. It was, in a way, tattooed on her. It would come off and be repainted on every month. It was a humming bird surrounded by five stars. This was the symbol of the lord. And it was painted by one specific painter, so no one could duplicate it and sneak in. Kirin waved to a few random men and woman who were working in the garden, and then a few inside. Finally she got to the kitchen, and Saji. "Morning Saji," she called to her friend, "What's on the menu today?" "Hi there, Kirin," Saji replied to her. She looked exceptionally beautiful to him today. "It's rice and fried fish. Nice and simple," he said looking back down at the fish in front of him. "Sounds good," said Kirin. "Hey, can you grab me that knife," Saji asked. "Sure," Kirin answered grabbing the large kitchen knife from the counter and handing it to Saji. He thanked her and started right away cutting the already-fried fish into strips for individual meals. Kirin got to work stirring the rice that was already in a large pot hung over the fire. Fish also fried around the fire. Saji watched her wipe the sweat from her brow. He was glad that she dad decided to stay in the village. There was something about her that really grabbed his attention. Maybe it was her oddly golden eyes, or maybe that wonderful smile. Whatever the case, he was just glad that she was around. Kirin looked up from the pot and looked over at Saji with a curious look in her eyes. Saji quickly woke up from the spell that had overtaken him and turned away, embarrassed to be caught staring. He turned around to find Kirin right behind him. "Is there something you wanted to tell me," she asked with an odd expression on her face. "Um…..no….well…. yes… well… uh….. could you…uh…cut this fish for me…..I…uh….have to…..uh….go to the bathroom." With that Saji ran out of the kitchen. "O….K….," Kirin said, confused. "Saji is one nice guy," she thought, "But what was that all about?"

Saji finally returned and Kirin rang the lunch chime and began serving the rapidly arriving workers. When Kirin finished serving she washed some dishes than came out and sang to the workers. Saji came out from washing dishes, drying his hands, to listen to Kirin. She had a wonderful voice and he wouldn't miss an opportunity to hear it._. _He was surprised to hear Kirin sing something that he had never heard before. Usually she sang one of the songs her mother had taught her long ago, but not this time. _"Don't do this to me, you don't even see, how hard it is to move on. But now you are gone, and it's taking it's blow, so now I've decided, It's time to let go."_ The workers cheered and cleared out in a hurry to get back to work before they got in trouble. Kirin walked past Saji back into the kitchen. Saji turned to her and asked, "Where'd you learn that song?" Kirin thought for a moment and then answered, "I don't know. It just sort of, came out." They sat in silence for a minuet, and then he said, "Well, I think it **came out** beautifully." "You think so," Kirin asked, blushing a little. "I know so," Saji answered grasping Kirin's hands in his own. They sat for a moment in silence, blushing madly. Then Kirin broke away from Saji and said in a quavering voice, "If we're finished here, I'll head home." Saji didn't answer, but watched her walk away. He was afraid that he had just done something horribly wrong.

Later that evening, Saji knocked on the wooden frame of Kirin's door. He had second thoughts to leave, but something kept him there. "Kirin," he called out, "Are you there?" "Yes," she answered from somewhere inside, "Please come in." "I just wanted to tell you that I am sorry about earlier. I had no right to touch you." He hung his head and turned to leave. "Saji," Kirin said softly, "You don't have to apologies. I didn't mind, and besides, it was only my hands you touched." She laughed a bit and then added, "Man are you proper." Saji also laughed and scratched the back the back of his head. "Yah, I guess I am," he said, "But my father always told me to give a lady my up most respect, because someday one can save you in more ways then one." Kirin thought a bit and then smiled, "Your father was a smart man," she said, "Thank you for apologizing Saji. It really meant a lot to me." "Thanks, bye Kirin." He was about to leave with a smile on his face when Kirin called out to him and said, "Hey Saji, would you like to go on a walk with me." He faced her and smiled widely. "I would love to," he answered.

Two months later Saji and Kirin sat together under a large tree watching the sunset. They had shared an evening walk together every day since Saji apologized. He turned and looked her in the eyes. She looked so beautiful with the sun reflecting in her golden eyes, making them sparkle. "Kirin," Saji said, "There's something that I have been wanting to ask you." "Ooh, look at that, it's almost over!" Saji moved over until he was face to face with Kirin, grabbing all of her attention. She looked at him seriously. "Kirin," he continued, taking a deep breath, "Will….Will you marry me?" Kirin's heart and eyes froze. But hers' were not the only ones that did. From the treetops behind her, a certain demons heart also skipped beat. Sesshomaru, as well as Saji, sat and waited for the answer that Kirin did not know. "Oh gosh," she thought, "What do I do!"


	8. A Demon

There comes a moment in ones life where they must face the hardest decision of their life. For Kirin, this moment was now. She felt herself short of breath and was feeling faint. What should she say? "I…uh….I…would like to think it over….alone," she said slowly, telling it to herself more than to Saji. Saji just nodded and watched Kirin as she stood and turned to leave. In the woods behind her, Kirin thought that she heard a rustle of leaves and then footsteps running away, and for a moment she even thought that she scented something very familiar. She shook her head and walked home in silence. Saji watched her disappear into the village and wondered what she would decide. He could only hope.

Sesshomaru had run from the tree where Saji still sat. He ran for a long time until he came to a small clearing where Rin and Jaken slept soundly. He was exhausted himself and he dropped down against a tree and closed his eyes. Without meaning to he fell into a deep sleep. And he dreamed.

/Dream/

Kirin stood by Saji and Sesshomaru neared them. When Saji saw him coming, he grabbed Kirin's hand and led her away. She willingly followed, but she constantly turned and looked back at Sesshomaru. Then Saji disappeared and Kirin stood alone in a clearing. She reached out her hand to Sesshomaru and he ran to her, but when he reached her, she fell into darkness. She looked up, reaching and calling out to Sesshomaru, but no sound escaped her lips. An unknown hand shot up and pulled him into the darkness as well. He fell in darkness for a long time, and then he landed on something solid. He was in a small lit up area, like a spotlight breaking the darkness that still loomed around him. Up ahead of him, Saji stood with Kirin, her back to Sesshomaru. Saji grabbed her hands and asked her, "Will you marry me?" Then he disappeared. Kirin stood silent, her back still to Sesshomaru. He walked over to her, and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Kirin," he said softly, almost like he would shatter the darkness if he should speak louder. He turned her around and she growled at him. Her fangs were long and her eyes blood red. She lashed at him with her extra long claws. They ripped open his stomach and he fell in a heap onto the ground. Sesshomaru looked up at Kirin and she smirked down at him and growled, "What if I said yes?"

/Dream Ended/

Sesshomaru jerked awake. "No!" he yelled. He gasped for breath, wiping sweat from his brow. Rin stirred, and then sat up. "Is everything alright, Lord Sesshomaru," she asked. "Go back to sleep, Rin," he replied, and the girl did just that. Sesshomaru himself stayed awake, restless and troubled for the remainder of the night. He knew that soon he would have to see Kirin again.

Kirin didn't sleep that night. She was troubled greatly. Sure, she liked Saji, ans yes, she had grown fond of him, but marring him? She didn't know if she was ready for that. And also, could he be happy if he knew what she truly was? Kirin thought again about that familiar scent that she had come across on before she had returned home. Ever since than she could not get her mind of Sesshomaru, no matter how hard she tried. Why couldn't she stop thinking about him? She hadn't thought about him since she decided to stay in the village, but ever since Saji proposed, she couldn't get her mind off of him. She sighed heavily and got up to get ready for work. Even thought she did not want to face Saji just yet, she knew that she had a job to do. Kirin left without eating breakfast, for she was not hungry. She took her time getting to work, and stopped short when she reached the kitchen door. Saji was inside, his back to her. She hesitated, than sucked up her courage and entered. Saji heard her enter, and turned to face her. He smiled and greeted her, saying, "Good Morning, Kirin!" She returned a weak smile and replied, "Morning." She quickly went to work. Saji could see how tiered she was, and could help but feel a little bad, because he knew it was his fault. They said nothing to each other all day. Finally, the work day was over, and Kirin said, "I'm going home now." Saji nodded, and he said quietly, "Kirin. Are we still going for our evening walk?" Kirin looked up and turned to face him. She bit her lip hard, and then nodded. Then she turned and left.

Sesshomaru sat at the edge of the woods that led to the village that lie ahead. He silently left the cover of the forest and walked to the edge of the town. Walking into the town could draw attention to himself, and the last thing he needed was a foolish fight. "Hmmmm," he said aloud, thinking which direction to go. He took a whiff of the air and scented Kirin's house. He dodged in and out of houses all the way to her house and then glanced down the street. She was coming. Sesshomaru quickly turned and leapt up onto her roof. Kirin finally made it to her door, and she jerked her head up sharply and looked around suspiciously. She sniffed the air again, and then shook her head and entered her house. Sesshomaru sighed in relief. He knew it was his scent that she had smelled. He sat on her roof for an hour or so, listening to her move about doing this and that. For a few minutes, he thought that he had heard a muffled crying, but he shook the idea from his head. "She's pacing a lot," she said softly to himself. He then focused his thoughts on the figure coming down the road. He came to Kirin's door, and then stopped in hesitation. He reached out to knock on her doorframe, but stopped short and pulled his hand back. Sesshomaru leaned out over the roofs' edge to get a better look at the man who had asked for Kirin's hand. To Sesshomaru he looked weak, and not worthy of her. Saji jerked his head up towards the roof. He had this odd feeling that someone, or something, was watching him. He looked around up at the roof some more, and then brought his gaze back down to the door. Kirin stood there looking at him with question in her golden eyes. He gasped, loosing his footing, and stumbled back a step blushing, embarrassed to be caught off guard. "Kirin…," he begun, but she cut him off. "Saji, I…..I've decided that…." At that moment a figure leapt down from the roof of Kirin's home and swept her up in his arms, running then towards the edge of town. Saji stood in shock for a moment, and then ran after the figure holding Kirin. It was much faster than him and once he got to the edge of the woods, the figure was already hidden by the thick mess of branches. He swung around and ran back into the village screaming, "Kirin's been kidnapped! Please, someone help! Please! Help!" Finally, one of the village guards stopped the hysterical Saji and asked him, "By who?" Saji fought hard to catch his breath. He sputtered out in a mumble of confused ramble, "A….A demon!"


	9. Secrets Revealed

Kirin was still in shock of the sudden appearance of Sesshomaru. He was running deeper into the forest with her cradled in his arm. The village was far behind them now, and realizing this Kirin finally came to her senses. "What the heck is he doing here," she asked herself, "and why did he take me?" Kirin realized that staying in his hold was not the smartest thing to do at the moment, seeing as she didn't know what he was up to. She looked up at him, but he kept his face forward and did not look down at her. Kirin held her breath and then shoved away from Sesshomaru, rolling off to the side as he stop abruptly ahead, confused about what had just happened. Kirin landed hard on her stomach. She had lost her breath, but she quickly sat up and ran in the opposite direction. She could hear him behind her. "He is faster than me I'm sure," she thought. Kirin then saw a small clearing completely surrounded by wildflowers. A small pool of water was in the center. "This will dull his sense of smell," Kirin thought with a smirk, and she quickly jumped up into a tree near the edge of the clearing. Sesshomaru came to the clearing a matter of moments later. He whiffed the air around him, trying to find which way she went. "I know you're here," he said aloud for her to hear. "I can tell that you are trying to outsmart me." He whipped around suddenly and using the Tokijin, cut down a tree in a single stroke. It crashed to the ground behind him. Kirin bit her lip. That tree was right next to hers. She could be next. "Come out," Sesshomaru said again. Kirin silently dropped to the ground behind him.. He turned and looked her in the eye. "Ok, fine, what do you want," she asked, making sure that it sounded like she was wasting her time being with him. In fact, she made herself believe that it was. "Hmmmm," Sesshomaru said. "Hmmmm, what" Kirin snapped at him. "If you drug me all the way out here, there better be a good reason for it." "You know you can't marry him," Sesshomaru said, looking away from her. "What?" "That man, human, you can't marry him." "And just why not," Kirin asked, folding her arms stubbornly across her chest, "Your not my mother." "Because he's human and you are not. It wouldn't work." Kirin looked at Sesshomaru and was outraged. Did he even realize that she was ¼ human? "Dusk fell around them as they stood in silence. "You can't marry him," Sesshomaru said one last time, and then started to walk away. "Wait just a minute you big, dopey, lying, kid hating, butt headed jerk," Kirin yelled at Sesshomaru's back. Sesshomaru sharply turned and glared over his shoulder at her. She couldn't tell if she had offended him or not, but she had his attention. "I can do what I want when I want to. You hardly know me, in fact, you left me to die! How dare you tell me that I can't marry Saji when you don't even know who I am. I'm going home, to Saji!" With this, Sesshomaru fully turned around and ran over, grabbing Kirin's arm and pulling her back. "Let go!" "Stay!" "No!" "Yes!" "Why!" Sesshomaru didn't have a comeback for this one, but he simply tightened his grip on her arm. "Let, GO!" Kirin screamed and slashed Sesshomaru's arm open. He stepped back in surprise, grasping his now heavily bleeding arm. Kirin turned and ran.

Kirin only got a little ways before she started wondering if the wound was bad. Did he have anything to heal it? She hadn't meant to leave that much of a wound. Kirin sat arguing with herself for a few minutes, then raced back to the clearing where Sesshomaru still stood, holding his bloody arm. A pool of blood formed at his feet. "Here, let me see that," Kirin said. Sesshomaru looked up, he hadn't realized that she had returned. "Wash it off here," she said, pointing to the pool that was in the center of the clearing. He did, and them she took some bandages that were wrapped around her stomach (she dropped a bowl of soup on her and it gave her a burn) and wrapped his arm up. The bandage was thin, but effective. Sesshomaru, now leaned against a tree, still hadn't spoken since Kirin had returned. This bugged her. Right to the bone. "Talk already stupid," she finally yelled at him. He opened his resting eyes and looked harshly at her. "Why do you insist on calling me what I am not," he asked. "Because you are," she replied. Sesshomaru stood and so did Kirin. "Are you looking for a fight, because I can pulverize you like last time if you wish," Sesshomaru asked, looking quite pleased with his comeback. "What do you mean pulverized. You couldn't even finish me off," Kirin threw back. "I'm leaving, I have no time for pity arguments," Sesshomaru said turning to leave. It was late anyhow. The faraway stars glistened and the reflection of the moon on the pool was still and had an eerie feel to it. "Get back here you coward! I'll beat you this time," Kirin called to him. "I'll wipe the floor with you, make you wish you'd never been……." She stopped suddenly. Sesshomaru turned around to see why. She was looking up. The full moon's light reflected in her eyes, which were wide and glasslike. "Hey," Sesshomaru said. "Hey!" Kirin stepped forward, but something about her was different. She was, well, Sesshomaru didn't know how to describe it. Glowing is the only word he could think of, but it wasn't even that. It was like she was weighted. A silver light was entwined around her body. She turned and looked at Sesshomaru with blank eyes. "Run," she said, and then with a howl, clenched her hands tight and crunched up tight like. Her fangs and nails grew longer, and her voice(or at least her growling noises) were rough and deeper. "What's happening," Sesshomaru thought. A great howling sound came, and then a light shot out of her, and then it was dark again. "Kirin," Sesshomaru said, walking to her. She turned and glared at him, then bolted and ripped a huge gash in his chest. Sesshomaru fell back with an, "Auughhh," and then fell to the ground. Kirin, or what he thought was Kirin, laughed deeply and hideously, then turned and ran towards the direction of the village. Sesshomaru willed himself to stand and took off after her. "What is going on," he wondered. After a lot of running, he reached the village. Houses were on fire and people ran screaming from the inferno. "What…," Sesshomaru said aloud to himself. Then he too ran into the ignited city and disappeared into the flames.

Yah, I know, cheesy. Please don't stop reading just 'cause this chapter sucks, though. It will all play out in the end, I promise! Thank you for your support! Inudoggie


	10. Who are you?

Sesshomaru stood in the burning village, his arm over his mouth and nose. The ash burned his eyes, and the smoke obscured his sense of smell, so finding Kirin was difficult. Sesshomaru ran forward into the town. The noise of cracking wood was all around, and Sesshomaru tuned his ears in, trying to catch any sign of Kirin's presence. "Did she do all of this," Sesshomaru wondered. He ran down the wide street leading toward the center of town. That's when he saw her. Kirin stood in a charred house, leaning over a small baby. She chuckled, and Sesshomaru was surprised by the evil in her voice. What was wrong with her? She raised her claws, preparing to strike out at the baby when she heard Sesshomaru step up behind her. Kirin looked over her shoulder at Sesshomaru, and when she did, a young woman ran over grabbing the now sobbing baby that lie on the hot, dusty ground. Kirin glanced at the woman, but showed no sign of interest in her. She turned to fully face Sesshomaru. "Name yourself," she said in an unusually deep voice which sent a small shiver up Sesshomaru's spine. "Do you not know who I am," Sesshomaru asked calmly. Kirin looked at him questionably. "Should I?" "Maybe," Sesshomaru answered. "Hmp," Kirin grumbled, "I have no time to be dealing with filth like you." She turned and started to walk away when Sesshomaru called to her, "Why are you destroying this village?" She stopped suddenly. Kirin did not know. Her head started throbbing, and she said, "I…I don't need to answer that question. It is none of your business!" "So you do not know yourself," Sesshomaru replied back. "Why you," Kirin growled. She lunged at Kirin, and Sesshomaru swiftly jumped aside. Kirin went crashing into a wall. Sesshomaru realized that she was much faster, and he was still slightly injured from before. "You are not yourself. Stop this nonsense," Sesshomaru said sternly, turning to face Kirin. Kirin looked shocked at this comment, then froze and fell to the ground. "Who…who am I," she asked in her normal voice, her eyes going back to their normal color. "Nooo," she screamed and dug her claws into the ground in pain as her eyes and voice went back. Sesshomaru turned and walked away. "I've seen all that I can," he said. "If you are truly too weak to help yourself, then come find me when you do." He walked away and disappeared into the smoke. Kirin collapsed onto the ground. She felt herself sink into unconsciousness.

Kirin awoke an hour or so later. "Where am I," she mumbled aloud to herself, pulling herself into a sitting position. She heard gasps and realized that the villagers were all around her with weapons. "Uh, hi guys," she said cautiously, "Watcha doin'?" Unexpectedly Kirin noticed that a man had stepped up behind her, smashing the back of her head with a long wooden pole. She fell onto her side in a daze. "What just happened," she wondered, struggling to keep her eyes open, "And why didn't I smell or hear that man behind me?" She heard voices yelling all around her as she once again sunk into darkness. She dreamed. She dreamed a long, troublesome dream about her trying to escape from herself, but she couldn't. She wondered what it meant.

Kirin woke again, still confused about what her dream meant, if it meant anything at all./ All of the sudden, a throbbing pain exploded in Kirin's skull. "That's right," she thought, "That man knocked me out." Kirin tried to lift her hand to feel the bump, which she was certain was there, but she couldn't move it. "Huh," she said aloud, opening her weary eyes. She looked over her shoulder and realized that her hands were bound. "My ankles too," she said quietly to herself. "Shoot," she thought, "What did I do this time." She bit her lip and tried to listen to the conversations around her, but they were all mumbled and hard to pick out. "Why can't I hear them," she thought. She listened in on a few people close to her. She could only pick up a few words. Demon, human, half-breed dangerous, and a few more words that made Kirin curious. What were they talking about? She looked around, now fully awoken by curiosity, and noticed that everyone was staying away from her. "Sh...She's awake," somebody suddenly yelled from above Kirin. Kirin looked up to see a young man glaring at her with fear in his dark eyes. The other men looked over at Kirin, then ran over and began talking with the man who had yelled. "Have we decided what to do yet?" "Yes, we're getting rid of her." "But isn't that like killing one of our own?" No, she may have pretended to be one of us, but she is far from being one of us!" "She destroyed the village." "Yes, and she could change back and do it again." Kirin was so confused. "What the heck is going on." she yelled above the arguing voices. "The voices stopped suddenly, and they all looked at her. One man sneered and said, "As if you don't know. You demons are all the same!" "Yah," another man jumped in, "And to think Saji wanted us to save you!" Kirin's eyes widened. She had forgotten about Saji. She looked around. Was he here? "What are you looking at," a man yelled, and stepped on her head, pushing her face into the dirt. "What is your problem," she yelled, irritated now. "You destroyed our village demon, and now we will destroy you," the headmaster said, stepping forward from everyone else. "What! What are you talking about," Kirin said helplessly, "The village is my home! I would never do that!" "That's enough," the headmaster said, "Throw that corrupted human in. "Human," Kirin thought, "Oh no!" She tipped her body so that she was in clear view of her hand. "No claws," she thought, "I'm human again." Kirin felt her legs move, and she looked over to see the men tying her feet to a large stone. "What are they….," Kirin wondered. Then it hit her. "No, " she screamed, "Don't do that, please! I didn't do anything!" They picked her up, and the stone, and stone and carried her down the road towards the river. The rope drug on the ground in between her feet and the rock. "You humans won't even wait to hear me out," Kirin yelled to headman. "Why should we," he replied coldly, "We all saw you burning our village and chasing down our people!" Kirin went cold. A memory flashed across her, but it seemed distant and weak. She remembered looking down at a crying child, the fire-light illuminating the town around her. "Wha…what have I done," she gasped suddenly in realization. The men turned and looked at her in surprise and question.

Sesshomaru hadn't strayed far from the village after his meeting with Kirin. He stayed right by the edge of the woods. But now he smelled Kirin's scent and was struck curious. Something was different about it. It smelled to him like it was almost….human! The idea struck him as funny, but he knew it was true. "Human," he said aloud, then set out towards the river, and the source of her scent. Kirin herself was in a bit of trouble. Ok, a lot of trouble. She struggled to free herself from the ropes that bound her. "Farewell demon," the headmaster said with a bow, "I hope you find peace in the next world." Kirin looked past him and saw Saji coming down he road. Then the men lifted Kirin and the stone and brought her to the very edge of the river. "Kirin, " Saji cried, seeing her. He ran towards her, but two men grabbed him and knocked him out. "Saji," Kirin cried to him. "Don't you hurt him," she yelled to the headman. Then she felt the men's hand that were holding her let go. She hit the water cold water and her mouth opened in shock. She took a quick breath and sunk, along with the rock, to the bottom.


	11. I Thought I Was Dead!

Sesshomaru heard the splash at the riverside and bolted there as fast as he could. What was going on? As he neared the river he saw all of the men of the village standing around. They were talking quietly. He saw a few men lifting up the man that he had seen with Kirin earlier. "The one who proposed," he thought. "Another demon," a man cried as he saw Sesshomaru run up to the river. With a great leap Sesshomaru plunged into the deep waters. He didn't know what was going on, but he knew Kirin was down there.

Kirin frantically tried to free her hands from the ropes. They were now cutting into her skin, and it was a strain to keep from crying out and loosing her breath. The stone tied to Kirin was now resting on the bottom, and Kirin's body pulled up and away from the stone. The current pulled her, and at first she couldn't set her mind straight. "I'm on the bottom," Kirin thought, "I have to do something soon! I'm only human, and I can't hold my breath that long!" Kirin struggled, but she just couldn't get her hands or feet free. "So this is how it ends…," Kirin thought, and let her body go limp. She thought of Sesshomaru, and a great sense of peace overcame her. She know knew that she could no longer hold her breath. Her eyes jerked over and in a moment of searing pain she saw red spots fill her eyes. Then she watched the last of her air bubble up towards the surface. As her eyes rolled back into her head, she saw something. It was faint and she couldn't quite make it out, but it looked like a person in white swimming towards her. "Silly girl," Kirin thought with a weak smile, "He's not coming, your only dreaming….."

Sesshomaru finally spotted Kirin's helpless body drifting with the current. He saw a small stream of air bubbles escape from her lips and up to the surface. "Shoot," he thought. He swam faster against the current and then reached her. Kirin looked calm in her eerie lifelessness. Sesshomaru slashed at the ropes tying her to the rock at the bottom, and grabbed her, then kicked off the bottom and headed fast as he could to the surface. He reached the surface, only half-listening to the voices of alarm and confusion, and made his way to the shore opposite of the men. Saji looked up and saw him, the demon who kidnapped Kirin, pulling himself onto the opposite shore with Kirin. The demon stood, picked up Kirin, then started walking towards the woods. Saji didn't even think. He bolted at the river and dove in. "Lucky I know how to swim," he thought to himself, "I won't let him take Kirin again!" With a burst of adrenalin, Saji quickly reached the other side and ran off in the direction that the demon went, despite the protest of his friends from the village. Sesshomaru smelled the human behind him and ran into the forest so that he couldn't keep up. He stopped soon at the foot of a huge tree and placed Kirin below it. He put his hand over her mouth the see if she was breathing. She wasn't. "I…I was too late," he said aloud to himself. He closed his eyes and stood silently for a moment, then unsheathed the sword that hung at his side. "Tensaiga," he said, "Save her." He pointed the sword at Kirin and waited, looking to see the small demons that would come to take her soul. Saji reached the tree at this moment and stood behind a tree. He saw Sesshomaru raise his sword and slice at Kirin. "No," he screamed and ran out towards Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru turned and looked at him, then sheathed his sword and shoved Saji to the side. Saji landed with a THUD on the ground, and he immediately got up to run to Kirin. "Wait," Sesshomaru commanded. Saji froze, wondering what was going on. He saw Kirins eyelids flutter, and then open. Sesshomaru shoved him aside again and stepped up to her. Kirin looked up and saw Sesshomaru standing above her. "Sesshomaru," she asked hoarsely. He just looked at her. She stood, and Sesshomaru stared at her wondering what she was doing. She stepped forward, then grabbed onto him, hugging him. "Sesshomaru," she cried happily, with tears forming in her dark brown eyes, "I…I was so scared, I thought I was dead!" Sesshomaru gave no reaction to her hug. He just stared ahead and Saji felt outraged that he didn't react to her feelings. Kirin opened her eyes and looked into Sesshomaru's, backing away from the hug, and holding his hand in hers. "You saved me," she said, "why?" Sesshomaru didn't answer, but just glanced over his shoulder at Saji, standing in silence behind him. "Saji," Kirin said in surprise, "You're here?" "Yes," he replied, not knowing what else to say. It was clear to him now, why she hesitated when he asked her to marry her. She loved this demon, and it was probably for the better too. He now realized that she was not human, at least not all human. He looked at her brown eyes and short nails. Even her hair was a browner auburn color. He smiled sadly, and said, "I just wanted to see that you were ok. I'll be leaving now. Goodbye Kirin." "But Saji," Kirin called out, "wait!" Saji stopped and looked at her walking up to him. "Saji, about your proposal, I…" "No," he interrupted, "I know now that you won't marry me. But Kirin," he said, looking her deep the eyes, "I will never regret falling in love with you, even if you are a demon." With that , he turned and walked away, heading back to the village. Kirin felt a tear slip down her cheek, and she quickly wiped it away. She turned to face Sesshomaru now, knowing that she'd probably never see Saji again. Sesshomaru looked away from the direction that Saji had left in too. He knew that what Saji had done had been entirely up to himself. He was also certain that he had seen something unexpected when Saji turned and left. He had seen tears in the young mans eyes.

Sesshomaru now looked at Kirin. Kirin looked up at him too. "So, uh, I guess…." Kirin started, but Sesshomaru turned and walked away in the middle of her sentence. "Hey," she yelled to him in protest, "I was talking here!" Sesshomaru glared at her from over his shoulder. "I do not wish to talk to those of dirty blood like you. Get out of my sight!" Kirin stopped cold, and collapsed on the ground. She watched him walk away, deeper and deeper into the forest. Soon he was out of sight. He hadn't even looked back once. Kirin still sat in shock. "Dirty blood," she said aloud, "Is that what I am?" She stood and then turned and walked away in the other direction. She was glad that Sesshomaru wasn't there, so that he couldn't see the tears falling from her human eyes. Sesshomaru too was troubled as he walked away. Why hadn't he been able to tell? She must not have been half-demon, because he would have been able to tell right away. What was she? He shook that thoughts from his mind and promised himself that it didn't matter, because he would never have to see her again. And this time he wouldn't let that promise slip!


	12. Along came a demon…

Kirin aimlessly walked around after Sesshomaru had left her. She then realized that her whip was not at her side, and considered going back to the village to fetch it. Kirin sighed heavily. She really did not want to return to the village, and there was danger there for her now. She decided that she needed her few belongings and set out, once again, towards the village which she had called her home. It took her a while longer to reach it because she was only human. Also, she was fatigued by the events that had taken place earlier. Kirin finally reached the village. She hadn't really thought about much on her long walk over to her former home. Dusk was finally settling over the destroyed village, and for the first time, Kirin saw the amount of damage that she had done. Kirin tightened her hands into fists. "If only you wouldn't have done this to me," she said quietly to someone who she hadn't thought about in quite some time. "If only you had……," she paused, choking on the words. She shook her head and then slowly made her way down to the village. She came up around the side of the road that led to her house when she heard people talking. "Man, didn't have much, did she," an unknown voice asked someone. Another voice answered, "No, but remember, she hadn't been here too long." Kirin realized that they were talking about her, and she listened intently. "Well, better bring this stuff over to the picking pile," the first voice said. Kirin had learned about the picking pile during her stay at the village. If a person moved or passed on, anything that wasn't taken by family members was brought to the center of town and placed in a pile. Then anyone who wanted to could take one thing for themselves. Kirin wondered what to do, and then formed a plan. She opened the small pouch that hung on her belt, and pulled out a long piece of material. She then tied it over her head, masking her facial appearances with a shadow. She then casually followed the men to the center of town. Many people had already gathered there to get the best items. Kirin knew that she would have to be quick. The only really personal belonging that she had in the pile was her whip. She could see it poking out from under a pot and some bedding sheets. The men place the things down and the headman cleared his voice and said, "Okay, on my go then. One…Two….Three….PICK!!" With that, a mad rush of people ran to the pile and began sifting through everything. Kirin finally nudged her way through, but her whip was no where in sight. Her blood went cold at the thought of someone taking it. She sadly backed out of the group. Kirin turned to walk away when a little boy walked up behind her and asked, "Miss, why are you sad?" "Because," Kirin answered half-heartedly, "I didn't get what I wanted." She gave the kid a small smile and turned the leave again. "Oh, I'm sorry," the child said, "I know what it's like to not get something." He ran up and placed something into Kirin's hand and she lifted it to see what it was. "I grabbed that all by myself, but you can have it if you want. I know it's probably not what you were looking for." Kirin looked onto her hand and realized that she was holding her whip. A huge smile spread across her face in disbelief as she tuned and bowed to the young boy. She then knelt down and embraced him in a hug. "That you so much," she said, almost laughing with joy, "This is exactly what I wanted!" She stood up, letting go of the boy, and he returned the smile and said, "No prob. I didn't even know what it was anyways. Have fun with your….whatever it is!" With that he turned and left. Kirin one again looked down at the whip in her hands, then hooked it into it's special holdster on he rbelt and turned to leave. As she disappeared from the town, Saji, a local villager overheard a young boy tell his mother about the gift he had given. And he smiled, because he knew.

Now that Kirin was all set to go, somewhere, she walked. She kept on walking, wondering when she would return to her normal, demon self, and wondering whether or not she should stop for the night. "Man, the last time I slept was…..," Kirin frowned. Actually, the last time she was asleep was because she had been knocked out. She thought again of Sesshomaru and his parting words. "I do not wish to talk to those of dirty blood like you. Get out of my sight!" Kirin wiped away the tears that were forming in her eyes. She had to get away from this place, it held memories that she wanted to forget. "Sesshomaru, why did you have to say that," Kirin screamed at the top of her lungs. "Didn't you care about how I felt?" Kirin now started running with tears streaming down her pretty face. She wondered why it mattered to her so much what her said. Was it because she thought him a friend. Or maybe…… ":No, he was a selfish and putrid man and I HATE HIM," Kirin screamed again. She ran faster and faster into the night, and disappeared into the darkness. From the other side of the river by the village, a young girl named Rin sat up. "Did you hear that Master Jaken," she asked, shaking him to see if he was awake. "Huh, what are you talking about you silly girl," the annoyed imp asked, not really caring for an answer. "A voice, I heard a voice call out just now," she said, recalling the moment. "It was just you dreaming," Jaken said rolling closer to the warm fire, "Go to sleep." Rin shrugged, knowing the he wouldn't listen anymore and lay awake listening to hear if the voice might cry out again in the night. But it was silent, and she soon fell asleep. Kirin had been running for days, only stopping now and then for a sip of water from a river or stream. Her still-human feet were cut and sore from running, but she did not stop until all the energy was gone from her. Finally, she stopped in the middle of a clearing in the woods. There was a field nearby that she could see through the scattered trees. Kirin simply just sat with her knees pulled against her, and her head resting face-down on them. She could not move another muscle, but heard the distant rumbling of thunder not to far off. I wasn't long before it started to rain, drenching Kirin in as cold, wet blanket of sorrow as she sat, motionless in the mud.

Inuyasha pricked his ears up at the sound of rumbling thunder in the distance. He sniffed the air, and he could smell the rain coming. He was lying on his side, hand propped up by his head, watching Kagome and Shippo color something or the other over in the corner of Lady Keadae's hut. He was bored. They had been sitting here fir three days already. Miroku was injured because he sucked up something poisonous in his wind tunnel yet again. "Idiot," Inuyasha muttered under his breath, "Because of you we've been stuck here for three stinkin' days," he said a little louder so that everyone could hear. Kagome looked up and over at him. "Inuyasha," she said, "Isn't it your fault for attacking that stupid demon in the first place. We could have taken him out in an easier way, but nooooo, you have to start showing off and waving your big sword around." She went back to her coloring. Inuyasha stood now, trying to think of a clever comeback for what Kagome had just pointed out. "Ugghh," he complained, not being able to think of a comeback right now, "I'm so bored stuck here with nothing to do. We should be out finding the pieces of the Sacred Jewel." Sango stood up from where she was sitting by Miroku. "Miroku's almost healed, just be a little more patient," she said calmly. "Like Inuyasha'a ever calm," Shippo said from the corner in his snotty little voice. "What'd you say," Inuyasha asked, balling his fist. "Uhh, nothing," Shippo answered, with fear in his little voice. "Oh yeah, I think you said something," Inuyasha said walking towards Shippo. Kagome sighed. "Sit," she said calmly, not ever moving her eyes from her drawing. Inuyasha went sailing face first into the floorboards with an "Ummph!" Shippo tried hard to keep back his laugh. "Kagome," Inuyasha said, peeling his face from the floorboards, "Why'd you do that. It wasn't like I was ganna hurt him or nothing." "Can't you just sit still for two minutes without staring a fight," she asked impatiently. "What if I can't," Inuyasha asked, then left out the door. "Are you sure it's wise to let him leave," Miroku said from where he was lying on the floor. "Oh, he'll be back," Kagome said with confidence. Sure enough, minutes later the gang heard the pitter patter of rain on the room, and Inuyasha returned wet and feeling sorry for himself. He sat down in the corner and didn't move for some time. Then Kagome perked up. "I sense a sacred jewel shard nearby, three of them," she said, standing. Inuyasha jumped up right away. "Where," he said. Miroku and Sango stood too. "Miroku, are you sure….," Sango started, but Miroku stated before she could finish, "I'll be fine. The poisons gone from my body." She nodded, and they ran outside, holding umbrellas that Kagome handed them as they ran out. Kilala jumped onto Sango's shoulder as she ran out, and Shippo onto Kagome's. Inuyasha was already way ahead of them. Inuyasha could smell the person now. "Human," he thought. He stopped as soon as he could see the figure sitting with her (at least he thought it was a her) head down and her back to him. "Hey, you," he called out to the person. She didn't move. Kagome arrived now with the rest of the gang. "Hey, hand over your jewel shards, now," Inuyasha said again, his hand on the hilt of his sword. The girl lifted her head, and reached into a bag at her side. Inuyasha readied himself for a fight. She pulled something out and tossed it over in his direction. It was a small pouch. He picked it up and reached inside. There were three jewel shards inside. "Uh, thanks," he said, turning to leave. "Inuyasha," Kagome whispered sternly, grabbing his arm to stop him from leaving. "Uh, excuse me miss," she said to the unknown stranger, "Are you all right?" The girl didn't move. "Come on," Inuyasha said stubbornly, "She's not ganna come!" 'please," Kagome said, trying one more time, "Won't you come and get out of the rain. We have some food if you'd like some. You are welcome to come." The girl now turned her head and looked back at Kagome. Kagome could see that she was indeed human. "That would be very kind of you," the girl said, "Thank you. I will join you." "Oh good," Kagome said. "Come on!"

Kirin stood and took a step towards the strangers. She took another, and another, but then weakness overtook her, and she fell forward. Kirin felt herself be caught by someone, and she looked up to see who it was. Shock overtook her, and she instantly flung herself backwards, landing hard on the ground in the mud with a "SPLAT!" She sat with a look of shock on her face, her arms and up turned away from the people before her. "Uhhhh, are you ok," the person who had caught her asked. "Yes……yes, I'm fine," Kirin answered after a minute. She looked up at the young man again. She had been so sure…….Kirin stood and walked over to where the kind girl stood with a puzzled look on her face. "I, uhm, I guess I slipped," she said with a small laugh. The girl laughed a little too, but still looked troubled by what had just happened. "By the way, my name's Kagome," she said, "and these are my friends Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and Kilala." Kagome pointed to the people around her. "Nice to meet you. My name's Kirin," Kirin replied. "Inuyasha huh," Kirin thought, "I was so sure that…" Inuyasha's irritated voice broke her away from her thoughts. "I hate to break up this happy little moment," he said sarcastically, "But I for one am getting drenched here!" Kirin looked at him. He was soaking wet, and water ran down his long silver hair onto the ground below. "That's what you get for not sharing my umbrella with me," Kagome said, not seeming to care that much. "Umbrella," Kirin asked. "Oh," Kagome said, "This things called an umbrella. It keeps you from getting wet in the rain." Kirin looked at the pink circular object that was over Kagome's head. Sango and Miroku had one too. "You should come stand under it too," Kagome said, "Your soaking wet." Now that Kagome said it, Kirin felt the cold of her wet kimono sink into her bones. "Thanks," she said, walking over to Kagome, then standing under the umbrella. "Can we go now," Inuyasha asked impatiently. "Yes, your highness," Kagome replied sarcastically, rolling her eyes. They all set out on their way back to Lady Keadae's hut. Kirin liked these people. They were kind. It was only that Inuyasha fellow who gave her the chills. He reminded her so much of Sesshomaru. His cold golden eyes, his long silver hair, and his stern way of looking at her. He glanced back at her, then turned his head back forward. He turned again a moment later, then asked, "what are you staring at? It's freaking me out!" Kagome threw a glare his direction, and he turned back forward. "Ignore him," Kagome said with a smile, "He's very…." "Temperamental," Shippo cut in. Inuyasha turned around and fully faced the two girls. Miroku and Sango sighed, and stopped to watch the show. Inuyasha quickly jumped over and pulled Shippo off Kagome's shoulder. "Why don't you say that to my face," Inuyasha said, stretching Shippo's face out so it looked like rubber. "Owww, stop," Shippo cried out. Kagome sighed. "Inuyasha….," she said. Inuyasha looked up quickly. "Kagome, wait! You know I was only kidding…..," he said pathetically. "SIT!!" Kirin watched as Inuyasha went face-first into a large puddle. Shippo ran over to Kagome and jumped up onto her shoulder again. "Come on," Kagome said, starting off again. Miroku and Sango followed, and Kirin went to, looking back at Inuyasha finally sitting up. "Hey," he yelled angrily, "You can't just leave me here!" "Just ignore him," Kagome told Kirin when she had caught up to her. "What was that," Kirin asked, her eyes wide with wonder. "I guess we have a lot to tell you," Kagome said. Kirin nodded as they reached the hut. They went in, followed by a not-so-happy Inuyasha moments later.

Kirin sat in the dark and quiet of the hut. Kagome had told her their entire story about their search for the jewel shards in hope to defeat Naraku. She sighed. She was bored. She decided that maybe she would go to sleep like everyone else. As the started to lay down, she noticed that Inuyasha was staring at her. "Ahh," she said aloud, startled. She thought that he had been asleep. "What are ya string at me for," she asked. "I'm deciding if I should trust you," Inuyasha said, nose in the air. "Hmph, well I'll let you know," Kirin said stubbornly, "That I'm a very trustworthy person." She rolled over and faced the wall, and attempted sleeping. A few moments later, Inuyasha broke the silence asking, "Why did you jump away from me today." "I didn't," Kirin said, "I told you, I slipped." "Sure ya did," Inuyasha said, "Tell me." "Because…..," Kirin started, then sighed heavily, "Because I thought you were someone else." Kirin's eyes narrowed, and she began talking to herself more than Inuyasha. "Because I thought you were a jerk that I ave been running from for a long time, but he won't let me escape him. He just keeps reappearing in my life, causing more problems. Look where I am now! Stuck in a hut with a bunch of…… Oh I wish I'd never met him. Now no more questions, I don't want to talk about it. Go to bed!" Kirin's words confused Inuyasha. What'd he ever do to her. "Woman," he muttered, then closed his eyes and fell asleep. Kirin had not fallen asleep yet. She was too busy trying to keep the tears from forming in her eyes. "It's not that bad," she thought, "I'll just stay with these people for awhile. They're nice. They'll help me forget." And with that, she too fell asleep. When she awoke in the morning, everyone was already up and moving. They were packing items here and there. Some, Kirin noticed, were from Kagome's time, something she had learned about yesterday. It was hard to believe, but how else could you explain her unique ways of dressing and interesting items and food. "Oh good, you're awake," Kagome said, trotting over to where Kirin sat and sitting down next to her. If you wanna help, we're going to be getting ready all day. "Sure," Kirin said getting up. Later that night, she sat with Kagome alone outside. They were looking at the stars. "Beautiful, aren't they," Kagome said with a sigh. Kirin looked at her, and wished that she could be that carefree. "Hmm," she said. Suddenly, a pulse overflowed through Kirin's body. "I'm finally…," she thought. "Ugghhh," she growled, as her claws pulled themselves longer and her fangs reappeared. She blinked, her eyes back to their normal golden hue. 'Yes," she whispered to herself. Kagome back away. "Wha…what's going on," she asked. As Kirin finished her transformation back to her demon form, Inuyasha ran outside with the others behind him. "Kagome, I smell a demon," he cried. Kagome looked over at Kirin's body, and Inuyasha followed her gaze. "What the….," he said. Kirin turned. Her change had been obvious. She smiled smugly, and said, "Guess that'd be me."


	13. A Couple of Friendly Arguments

Inuyasha's face turned into a mess of confusion. "What the heck is going on here," he yelled angrily. Kirin could see that he was ready to pull his sword at any minute. "Inuyasha, wait," Kagome said, putting a hand out in front of him. "Kirin, are you all right?" Kirin gazed up at the people around her. They were all staring at her, wondering what would happen next. Kirin opened her mouth to say something, but at that moment Lady Keadae came walking over from where she had been collecting herbs in the woods. "What is the trouble," she asked. She turned and looked at Kirin, "Ahh, so I see our new friends has some secrets. Inuyasha, remover your hand from ye sheath. Me thinks she means ye no harm." Inuyasha looked doubtfully at the old woman as she entered her home. "Humph,' he grumbled. "Well, looks like maybe I should tell you my story now," Kirin said, scratching her head in confusion. They all entered the hut and sat, listening contently as Kirin began her story. Kirin herself was careful to leave out any evidence of the man who she wished to never exist again. "…and so that's when I met you guys," Kirin finished. "Sounds fishy to me," Inuyasha said before anyone else could speak, "It looks to me as if you'd be a half-demon, but yet if you were, why'd ya stay human for so long?" "Kirin sighed. "Because I'm not a half-demon," she said, "I am three-fourths of one." "What," Kagome asked. "My mother was a half-demon , and my father….he was full." Inuyasha gazed curiously at her. It almost seemed as if she had been uneasy when mentioning her father. "that still doesn't explain why you were human for so long," he stubbornly put in. "That's……complicated," Kirin stated, looking for the right words. "You see," she said, "I was given some kind of, what would you call it, a curse maybe, that makes me turn full demon whenever I am greatly emotionally upset. Something about my feelings triggers the transformation from time to time, trying to make me lose all human feelings. It's really…," Kirin sighed heavily, "Really something that I would like to get rid of." There was silence in he room. "Is there any way you could," Miroku asked thoughtfully, "I think that if you could manage to destroy the one who put thins curse on you, it would effect you no more." Kirin nodded, "Your right, but that's just it. Finding this person id harden than you can imagine. I have been searching for a long, long time. He just doesn't wish to be found." Kagome put a supporting hand on the partial demons shoulder, "Don't worry, 'm sure you'll find him someday." "I'm sure I will," Kirin said, "But even if I do, will I be strong enough to defeat him? This is why I had been collecting fragments of the sacred jewel. After what you told me, though, I see that they would only have corrupted me. They are better off with you." Inuyasha stood and walked over, grabbing the neck of Kirin's kimono and lifting her up off the floor. "How do we know that you really fell that way," he accused, "You could attack us while we sleep and take the sacred jewel for yourself!" "Inuyasha," Kagome cried, standing. Miroku and Sango stood too. "How could you," Kagome spat. "It's true! How do we know that she can be trusted if we let her travel with us," Inuyasha yelled. "Eh ehm," Kirin said. "Inuyasha, could you possibly put me down," Kirin asked, "I have a proposition for you." Inuyasha lowered her to the floor and turned full attention to the thoughtful-looking girl before him.

"I don't like this," Kagome said. "Neither do I," Miroku added, "But I think this Kirin knows what she's doing." "I agree with Miroku," Sango said, "I think she knows that he'll trust her more by doing this." Kagome nodded, but still didn't like the idea. Kirin had proposed to fight Inuyasha, to show her power to him, so that he could feel more comfortable with what he was trusting. "You ready for this," he called to Kirin. "Ready when you are," she called back. "Ok, then, you asked for it," Inuyasha yelled, drawing his sword from it's sheath and running towards Kirin. "His sword," Kirin thought, watching it grow, "It's amazing!" Kirin pulled her whip to the ready and waited for Inuyasha to get into range. Then he swung. Kirin leapt up into the air and lashed her whip out towards the outstretched sword. He whip snaked it's way around the huge sword. Kirin pulled it tight, then landed a few feet away. The3n, with a great burst of speed, she dashed around Inuyasha before the clueless dog could figure out what she was up to. "What the…..," he muttered. Kirin stopped. She smiled. She know had him trapped, wrapped up in her whip. She then pulled forth he demonic energy inside her and focused it towards her whip. Inuyasha watched as a blue wave of demonic electricity traveled through the whip and around him. He felt the volts zap him and he restrained him self from yelling. With a great effort, he jumped up and away from her, making the whip loosen it's grip on himself. Then he swung his sword and pushed the whip away. It landed on the ground in front of Kirin. He then raised his sword and unleashed his favorite attack. "Wind scar," he yelled, aiming the attack at the demonish girl below. Kagome, Miroku, and Sango all stepped forward in shock. Kagome screamed, "Inuyasha! what are you doing!" Kirin saw the great golden light coming towards her. "What is this," she thought. She quickly wrapped up her whip a certain way, thrust the blue energy through it, then started to spin it in front of her in a clockwise motion. "Kirin, move" Miroku yelled. "She's trying to counter it," Sango cried in horror. They watched as a great, blue circle formed in front of Kirin. She then yelled, and thrust it forward. The blue wave and golden Wind Scar met in a deaf defying blow and then canceled each other out, blowing both Kirin and Inuyasha back. They both stood up, then readied their weapons, waiting to attack again when Kagome, Miroku, and Sango ran out and stopped them. "That is enough," Miroku cried. "But nobody's won yet," Inuyasha protested. "It's a tie then," Kagome said. "Fine with me," Kirin said, putting her whip away and approaching the frustrated Inuyasha, "It seems that we are evenly matched," Kirin said. "Fine," Inuyasha mumbled, "Were done." "Good," Kagome said, clapping her hands, "Let's go back. Keadae, Shippo and Kilala are waiting." Everyone nodded and made their way back to the hut. Kirin smirked, "I didn't even have to use all of my power," she thought. From behind her, Inuyasha smirked, "She wasn't even a worthy opponent," he thought. "I've decided I can trust you for now," he said out loud, stepping in front of Kirin, stopping her, "I don't have to worry about you defeating me." "Oh really," Kirin said, laughing at this demons' pride, "In that case, I don't have to worry about you either." She pushed past Inuyasha and ran up to join the others. "And just what's that supposed to mean," he yelled to her. He smirked, and also ran up to catch up with the others. He was beginning to like this Kirin, he decided. He finally had someone to sportingly argue with!


	14. Friends and Foes

Kirin watched as Inuyasha finished off the demon before her. The demon fell, and Inuyasha turned toward Kirin and the others with that smug little grim he always displayed after a victory. He casually slid hid Tetsaiga into it's sheath. "Told ya I could take 'im. No sweat," Inuyasha boasted, probably trying to impress someone, which he didn't. "Yah, yah. Whoo hoo! You did it," Kagome cheered sarcastically. She bent over to pick up the two jewel shards that had ejected from the foul demons body when it met it's demise. Miroku quickly started up his small prayer for the demon, and Sango looked over it's remains, seeing if there was anything she could use for weapon repairs, if needed. Kirin sighed heavily and plunked down next to Shippo, who grinned reassuringly now that the battle was over. Kirin was so bored! She never had a part to play in getting the jewel shards. "There must be something I could do to help," Kirin thought. Kagome's words replayed in her mind. "We don't want you to get mixed up in our problems," she had said. Kirin snorted in a short spurt of laughter at this thought. "What's so funny," Shippo asked. Kirin had forgotten he was there. "Oh, nothing," she said. Shippo slumped and muttered in protest, "You guys never tell me anything. Kirin sighed. She sometimes forgot that he was just a kid. "Ok," she said, making something up to cheer the little fox, "I was just thinking that if Inuyasha's head gets any bigger we're ganna need one of those wheelbarrows Kagome talked about to get him around." Shippo burst out laughing. Inuyasha pricked his ears and turned around. He looked a bit angry. "My hearings just as good as your ya know," he said. "Whoops, sorry," Kirin said sarcastically, then burst out laughing herself. Inuyasha stomped over and met with her face to face. "You wanna make something of it," he said. "Careful," Kirin said, "if you lean to far forward you may become top heavy and fall over." She looked at Shippo, and Shippo at her. They broke out laughing hysterically. "That's it," Inuyasha yelled, pulling his Tetsaiga from it's sheath in order to scare the two laughing idiots. "Oh no," Shippo said, mocking him," Run! He 's going to spice us in two!" "Oh no," Kirin cried, laughing so hard her sides hurt, "We must get away from the powerful dog lord!" She playfully scooped Shippo up into her arms and began running around with him. Inuyasha put his sword away and began chasing them too, red in the face because of his hurt pride. "I'll get you for that," he yelled. Shippo and Kirin just turned their faces towards him and stuck their tongues out. "Arrrhhhgggg," Inuyasha yelled, leaping in the air. Kagome called from a few feet away, "Inuyasha….." "Oh no," he said, trying to land on the ground before it was too late. Kirin halted to a stop and yelled, "Kagome don't!" Kagome stopped, her face full of confusion. "We were only playing around. Don't blame him," Kirin said, "It was my fault anyway." "Fine. Looks like you got off easy," Kagome said to Inuyasha. Inuyasha dropped to the ground in utter surprise. Why would Kirin do that? She had saved him from a five foot free fall into the hard, unforgiving earth below. Kirin winked at him. "Guess you owe me one, huh," she said with a smirk. Inuyasha had to keep his act up, so he snorted in disagreement, "Yeah right. As if Kagome would have said it anyway." Kirin just smiled and ran off again to sit under a nearby tree and gaze at the clouds. This path two months with Inuyasha and his friends was so great! Was this the place Kirin would finally call home. With her friends. She hadn't had friends in a while. Kirin breathed in the deep, sweet scent of the plants and air around her. It was good to feel loved. She then felt Shippo tugging on the sleeve of her kimono. She looked down at him. "We're off again," he said, then bounded away to Kagome. Kirin stretched, stood up, and followed him to where her friends stood before her. She smiled. Friends.

Three days had gone by, and not a single jewel fragment had been detected. "When are we ganna find the lousy jewel," Inuyasha complained. "Oh shut it," Kirin yelled to him, "You've been whining like this for three hours strait!" She glared at her. "You looking for a fight," he spat. "You wouldn't even be worth it," she replied with a snotty tone in her voice. Inuyasha was about to throw an insult right back at her when he saw Kagome glare at him over her shoulder. She sighed. "Honestly you two," she said, "Don't you ever stop fighting?" "We weren't fighting five minutes ago," Kirin said with a cocky grin. "Oh brother," Miroku sighed. "You've got so much spirit," Sango said, "Now if only you two could stop fighting." "I swear," Kagome said, "If I had met you two at the same time, I would have thought you were siblings!" "Me, siblings with him," Kirin laughed, "There would be no one to carry on our name after we killed each other." Everyone laughed. "Siblings suck," Inuyasha said. "I love my little bro," Kagome said. "Well I say they suck," Inuyasha said. Kirin laughed. "I didn't know you had a brother," she said, "Did he pick on poor little Inudoggie and steal his binkey winkey." She laughed at her own joke. "No, he didn't," Inuyasha replied. "Now that I had one," he quickly added. "Do you have any siblings," Kagome asked Kirin. "No," Kirin answered, "And I'm glad I didn't," she told Kagome. "Why," Sango asked. "Because the probably would have ended up like Inuyasha," Kirin laughed. Everyone laughed at this, except for the sulking dog-boy. The walked a bit more, then Inuyasha let out a snarl, and muttered, "Well speak of the devil." He began to run, and everyone chased after him, wondering what was going on. "Inuyasha! Wait," Kagome called from behind. Suddenly, Inuyasha stopped, and everyone else stopped behind him. Kirin peered around him to see what they had stopped for. What she saw threw her back a step in shock so deep that her heart missed a beat, and sent a cold chill up her sine, making her neck hairs stand on end. Inuyasha grabbed for his Tetsaiga, and opened his mouth to call out to his enemy when Kirin stepped forward in hasty lunge. She opened her mouth and cried, "Sesshomaru!" Everyone turned in awe at the young woman who had just called to a man who she was never know to had met.


	15. Nearing storms

A cool breeze whispered through the trees and made the woods seem to shudder. Inuyasha glanced from his brother, over to Kirin, and then back again.

"But….but how?" he asked in shock. He looked over at Kagome and she had that same sort of shocked look on her face.

"What are you doing here?" Kirin suddenly shouted, jolting everyone out of the strange silence that fell over the woods. Sesshomaru didn't move a muscle, but just looked straight ahead at Inuyasha with a cold glare.

"Inuyasha," he called, "I have come to take the Tetsaiga. If I can't have it, than no one deserves it's power." Kirin stomped loudly and clenched her fists. Thunder rumbled in the distance, and Inuyasha could smell the oncoming rain. But it wasn't the rain that concerned him now. Kirin reared her head at Sesshomaru then spat at his feet.

Don't ignore me! You know I'm here ya filth," she screamed with hatred. Inuyasha watched blood trickle down Kirin's hands and drip to the ground as if in a scarlet rain. She had clenched her fists so tightly that her claws had pierced her own flesh. Kagome must have seen this too, for she slightly lifted her own arm towards Kirin and whispered her name before withdrawing her arm. Sesshomaru shot a glance at Kirin, then looked away irritably.

"Silence woman," he barked, "You will not interfere." Kirin bit her lip, hurt deeply by this cruel remark.

"He knows who I am," she thought bitterly.

"Inuyasha, your time had come," Sesshomaru suddenly said. He ran toward Inuyasha. Before he reached him, though, he met Kirin's whip. He glanced over in anger and frustration and saw her with her arm extended, whip in hand. He turned to face her.

"I told you not to interfere!" he spat.

"Too late," Kirin shot back with the fire of hatred burning deep in her golden eyes.

"Kirin, no!" Kagome shouted.

"Shut up!" Kirin yelled back at her, "This is between me and him!" Kagome stepped back, obviously hurt. But Kirin had no time for apologies. A searing silence once again overtook the woods. Another breeze pranced by and played with everyone's hair. Kirin could smell that the rain was very near now.

"Sesshomaru," Kirin said, almost in a whisper, "DIE!!!" Kirin charged at Sesshomaru. She lashed her whip at him. Sesshomaru sourly pulled his Tokijin up to hand to block the attack. Kirin kept coming. She lashed out with her weapon over and over, and Sesshomaru eventually got fed up.

"Enough!" he yelled harshly, "You will pay for your foolishness!"

"You're the fool!" Kirin screamed, lashing out again. Blue electricity cracked on her whip. Sesshomaru tilted his sword forward, then, when Kirin's whip reached it, he swooped his sword around it and snagged it. Kirin gasped, then bit her lip in frustration.

"Crap! I should have know that he'd do that. Think Kirin! You know the enemy." Kirin thought angrily to herself. Sesshomaru smirked, then called out to her.

"I am no fool, you know. I know your moves well!" Kirin winced, knowing that she needed a good comeback.

"Your not the only one you knows some moves you jerk!" she jeered. Kirin jerked her whip, trying to free it, but with no prevail. She had to do something or go weaponless. Kirin forced her demonic energy into the whip. She smirked as a large amount of blue energy crept it's way down the whip and towards Sesshomaru. TO her utmost dismay, the energy reached to sword and was reflected right back towards her. Before Kirin could react, she was flung back by the force of her own attack. Kirin smashed into the ground, upturning grass and flowers.

"Pathetic," Sesshomaru gloated. "Kirin," Inuyasha cried. "She has gotten herself way too far into this. She doesn't stand a chance against Sesshomaru!," he thought. He began running over to her. Kirin lifted herself up and shot a glared over at Inuyasha.

"Stop!" she cried, "This is my battle!" Inuyasha froze where he stood. He had never seen Kirin like this before. Just what had happened between her and his brother? Kagome ran up to Inuyasha and clung to his arm.

"Can't you stop her?" he asked him.

"No, I don't know if she'd let me even if I tried," he answered back solemnly.

Kirin, now weaponless, ran at Sesshomaru in a mad fury.

"I will not lose again! I will win or dye trying!!!" she thought wildly to herself. She lashed furiously with her claws, but Sesshomaru easily dodged her. He smiled, as if toying with her.

"Pathetic," le laughed.

"Ya know what's pathetic?" Kirin shot right back at him. "Full demons. They think they're so great just because they have perfect blood. Well ya know what? That makes them murderous villains! They even kill the ones they love!" Kirin softened her voice. "I would know. I have seen it all, and I know that all demons are the same!" Sesshomaru now had to actually make an effort to dodge Kirins claws because adrenaline pumped through her body giving her speed and strength. With a graceful swing he slit her arm. Kirin growled in pain but kept coming. He ripped her flesh over and over again, but something was different about her now. She refused to give in. She kept coming, strong as ever.

"You know what I can't understand," she asked coldly. Sesshomaru felt a shiver run down his spine. Something in her voice was cruel and disgusting, not like her normal sweet, loving voice. Sesshomaru shuddered again. He realized that it sounded like death. Kirin's face was covered with the blood of her many wounds, and it made her seems to be wearing a crimson mask. "I don't understand," she continued, "Why you like that little human so much? She is all human after all. How is it that you can't stand me when I hold more demon in me than she ever will!?" Kirin swiped again and again at Sesshomaru, but she was missing even the best shots.

"She's lost too much blood," Sesshomaru thought, "She's losing it!" All of the sudden, Kirin was gone. Sesshomaru didn't have time too react, and all at once she was behind his with her arms around his throat. She was choking him!

"She's moving too fast!" Sesshomaru thought wildly. His breaths became heavy and raspy. He had to do something quick. Sesshomaru reached behind himself, grabbed Kirin's waist, and threw her to the ground in front of him. She stopped moving, and Sesshomaru quickly turned to leave. He felt a hand reach out and grab his ankle. He looked down and winced. Kirin looked horrid! Blood and dirt caked her slashed up body.

"Oh no you don't!" she cried hoarsely. "Someone must die this time!" Sesshomaru kicked her hand off and ran off a few steps.

"Then die a slow and painful death alone," he yelled back to her. Then he left her lying facedown on the cold, unforgiving earth. Thunder crashed and the rain that had been nearing finally began to fall to the thirsting earth. Inuyasha and the others ran over. Kagome grabbed Kirin's shoulder and almost had to look away. She looked so painful. Was she even still alive? Fear struck Kagome, but then she saw Kirin's shallow breathing. Inuyasha looked away towards the direction that his brother had run.

"He will pay for doing this!" Inuyasha thought bitterly.

Kirin listened to the faint voices above her.

"No, no, no, no, no!" she screamed at herself. "Get up you scum! Don't give in now! Don't let him think that you lost! Hatred rushed through Kirin's blood, and she urged every ounce of strength she had left to help her up. Suddenly, she leapt up.

"Whaaa…?" Kagome gasped, startled. Kirin rushed off towards the woods in hot pursuit of the man who had just beaten her down.


	16. Betrayal

"Kirin, stop!" Sango yelled out to her fleeing friend.

"I won't let him leave me beat again!" Kirin yelled back coldly, stopping to face her friends.

"Again?" Kagome asked her. "I don't understand. What's going on?" Kirin grinned sadly.

"Neither do I." With that she ran off into the woods after Sesshomaru.

Miroku grabbed his head in disbelief. "This is insane." He mumbled.

"What's going to happen to her," Shippo asked, getting teary eyed. Inuyasha shook his head angrily. "Crap!" Then he too ran off after Kirin, who was already lost in the denseness of the forest. The others watched as he also disappeared into the cold, grey rain.

Kirin was running blindly through the woods. He face was thrashed with oncoming branches. Her vision was obscured by the blood and muck that washed down her face thanks to the rain falling from the green rooftops above. She was weak from the beaten she had just received, but something inside her urged her to go on.

"Why didn't he just kill me?" She thought bitterly. But yet, something deep within felt almost glad that he left her every time. "No!" she yelled aloud to no one, "He's not pitying you, he's making fun of your weakness." Kirin wiped the blood and rain from her eyes with her kimono sleeve, and then she saw him. Sesshomaru stood just ahead of he. Kirin skid to a stop on the slick ground. Sesshomaru was gazing up a the sky. His eyes looked almost…..sad. Then he must have heard or smelt Kirin approaching, because he turned to face her.

"Arrrggghhhh!!!" Kirin screamed, hurling herself at him. Sesshomaru just stood as she grabbed him by the neck and pinned him to a nearby tree. "Why?" She spat, "Why won't you kill me?" Sesshomaru silently looked Kirin in the eye. His stare made her step back with pain.

"Why do you wish for death," he asked quietly and coldly. Kirin froze in her spot.

"I…I don't….I mean you……I….don't….know." Sesshomaru gazed at her. She looked sad and lonely with her hair hanging drenched, plastered to her face like that. Sesshomaru sighed heavily, and Kirin bit her lip uneasily.

Inuyasha stepped up behind a tree not far from where Kirin and his brother stood.

"What are they doing?" he wondered. They were standing towards each other. Just standing. Not speaking, not moving, just standing. "They must not smell me," he thought. "That's weird, Sesshomaru would normally be on me right now." His ears twitched as he picked up the words carried on the breeze over from where the two were standing. If was difficult to make out because of the pouring rain, but he thought that he could hear if he listened really hard….

Kirin opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. Sesshomaru spoke first. "Why do you keep coming to me?" He asked. "I thought that you would stay with that disgusting little human forever."

Kirin's eyes flashed with fury. "Saji," she said, emphasizing her friends name, "is not nearly as disgusting as you are." Sesshomaru mentally winced at this remark. "Now enough talk. If you want to kill me hurry up and fight me now. I told you, one of us must die." Sesshomaru tilted his head back and closed his eyes. He sighed again, and Kirin tapped her foot impatiently, her hand twitching by her whip holster. Then Sesshomaru spoke.

"Kirin. Why would you want me to kill you?" Kirin was furious.

"Stop toying with me!" She cried. "I would rather die then be left with the humiliation you leave me with every time I get beat!" Sesshomaru opened his eyes and look at Kirin. He stepped up to her and grabbed her shoulder so quickly that Kirin could not react in time. She struggled, glaring up into his eyes. But then she realize that his eyes were not angry. They were something else, but still cold and unreadable. "To think that when I first saw those eyes…."Kirin thought. Then Kirin stopped and looked past all her hatred for Sesshomaru and she saw that she never really hated him.

"Kirin," Sesshomaru said, breaking the silence. She looked up at him again. And with that he kissed her. Kirin's heart exploded as she fell into the kiss. The rain melted away all her hatred for him just as the kiss melted her heart. From his hiding place, Inuyasha fell back aghast. After a moment of flooded horror he found himself yelling out to Kirin. "Traitor!" He bellowed, then ran off back to where he had left Kagome and the others. Sesshomaru pulled back from the kiss sharply and glared off in Inuyasha's fleeing direction. Kirin stood frozen, he mouth shut tight and her cheeks flushing. Sesshomaru turned his attention back to Kirin. He lifted her chin so that she looked him in the eye. "How can you ask me to kill the one I love?" he whispered, and then ran away. All Kirin could hear was the puddles that splashed as his feet disturbed their rest. Kirin fell to her knees, clutching her chest where her heart beat wildly.

"What just happened," one part of her mind asked, but the other half knew. "Sesshomaru said that he loved me," She whispered aloud to herself. Tears formed in her eyes. They ran down her cheeks and were shrouded by the rain that also ran like tears. Kirin sat alone and cried along with the sky.

Inuyasha raced back to the others. He ran practically into Kagome when he reached the place where he had left them.

"Where's Kirin?" Kagome predictably asked. Inuyasha grabbed her hand and began leading her away from the edge of the woods.

"We're leaving," he replied sharply.

"But why….?" Kagome asked.

"NOW!!!" Inuyasha barked, coming to a dead stop and startling Kagome. She looked hurt, and Inuyasha lowered his ears. Kagome touched his shoulder.

"Inuyasha, what happened? Why are we leaving without Kirin?"

"Because," he answered solemnly, "She has betrayed us all." Then he led her away into the rain.


End file.
